The Pepitos or locally known as
“Macoby seeds” in Belize is a street
treat that has long been a favorite. The
shelled pumpkin seeds are often labeled
pepitas, which means “little seeds” in
Spanish. The pumpkin seeds are easy to
make, fast and a tasty substitute for nuts.
After you clean out and carve your pumpkins,
what do you do with all the seeds
inside? Well, most people would roast
them, they taste so good that you are lucky
if they last for more than one day! There
are many different methods for roasting
pumpkin seeds, but we will feature the
Belizean style recipe; here is how to
make them.

Gather these ingredients and follow
the steps for your chance to make your
own roasted pumpkin seeds for the whole
family. Get a hold of some pumpkin or
squash seeds, some olive oil or butter,
salt or other seasoning. Wash the pumpkin
seeds to remove all the pulp, and
place in a bowl soaked in water and salt.
Drain water and place on a baking sheet.
Melt the butter in a pan and then pour,
bit by bit, into the nuts, tossing while
you go. The key is not to use too much
butter, but just enough to lightly coat the
seeds. Then, add salt to the nuts, just
enough to taste. Preheat the oven to 250F
and bake, turning occasionally, until
crisp and lightly golden browned. Overcooking
causes the nuts to toughen and
lose flavor. Then enjoy! The delicious
Street roasted seeds are packed with protein,
fiber, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese,
and phosphorous, as well as the
amino acids. They also contain some
calcium, potassium, zinc, selenium,
folate, and niacin. The pepitos seeds are
sold in the shell, shelled, roasted, and
raw. They can be found in stores and of
course your local street stalls sold in
bags for just a dollar. The salty pepitos
can be eaten whole without shelling, as
long as the outer shell is crunchy. The
crunchier the outer shell, the better the
taste. Get yours today, the very popular
delicacy sells really fast and is truly a
treat among treats!